Without
by colouredred
Summary: Just because someone said that it was in the past didn't mean it was forgotten. For some, this was because they could neither forget, nor did they want to. It was a strange concept, but then again, Haruka herself was a little strange. Byakuya/OC (warning: drug abuse)
1. Chapter 1

**So welcome to my rewrite of 'A Thousand Apologies' I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not and never will own 'Bleach', however my OC's are mine and mine alone.**

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_Without - Chapter 1_

* * *

The sound that disturbed her was unexpected.

Footsteps.

Her own weren't nearly as loud. With her feet were bare of any coverings, it left nothing between her and the cold, stone floor beneath; when she walked it was in silence.

The footsteps, who one might presume belonged to a person, drew closer and closer. Her ears no longer strained to hear them, whilst her excitement was awash with uncertainty.

She wondered if they still wore sandals, or if that style of fashion had become out of date.

The Soul Society was filled with terrible, old traditions; ones she tried so desperately not to conform to. But if they still wore sandals, she wouldn't have been surprised in the least.

At last, her eyes turned towards the wooden door of her prison room. They called it hospitable; that she was placed on a level so close to the surface, and so close to freedom.

But, and she frowned at her thoughts, she would never really be free. There were words in her head, and images of dark times along with her own black reality that prevented it. As she pursued her thoughts even further, she decided that those who were truly free were either young, or dead.

She was neither.

Very soon, she began to wonder what sort of an impression she ought to give her visitor. She could play at sanity, or perhaps try to act pitiful.

Keys jingled, and it was enough time to allow her to decide that she no longer cared. The thought had passed like wind through trees, or the stranger who sat unnoticed amidst crowd.

The footsteps stopped outside her door.

She prayed for news of her release. Oh, what she would give to see the sky for just a moment.

The grass would be tall and unkempt, weeds sprouting with abandon because no one really cared to keep it trimmed. The sun would be on her neck, and her hair would begin to drift forwards as a chill touched her arms. Of all the things she might miss, it was this she longed for the most.

"Haruka Kimura."

It was a voice, an image, a name. _Her _name. Who she was, everything she was, a whole life that went by the sound of _Haruka Kimura_.

Haruka Kimura tried to smile, but she couldn't. She had forgotten that now, and so chose to simply look towards the soul reaper at her door.

The man was ordinary. Absolutely ordinary, except that he stared right back at Haruka. It wasn't his fault, but just that he had noticed her eyes. They were brown, and unremarkably so. Brown was the possibly the worst eye colour ever, and all he could think of was mud and how it swallowed everything up and was so mindless and endless and how it existed but not much else.

Haruka Kimura's eyes looked like mud.

"You have been called to stand testimony for your crimes before Central 46." The soul reaper left it at that, waiting for a reply.

Haruka's toes swept across her cell floor, sweeping aside dust and a nail that had fallen from her bed at some point again last night. She had kept asking them to fix it; it was dangerous. She had been sentenced to imprisonment, after all, not death or injury.

"Okay." She said.

If the soul reaper were surprised, he hid at well. Haruka had expected that, as the man – like herself – would have been disciplined in the art of hiding his emotions. They were a weak point, and like all weak points, had to be hidden.

"If you attempt to escape while still in our custody, your trial is forfeit and another ten years shall be added to your sentence. Stand slowly and walk outside the cell, please." The man instructed.

Haruka sighed. "You don't need to tell me the rules, mister. I was a soul reaper as well, I know them too." She explained as she straightened her crumpled robes.

It was a plain outfit, standard prison wear, and Haruka had grown accustomed to it so much so that it almost felt like a second skin. Looks had never bothered Haruka overly much, but in this moment, she wished to retain some of her pride.

Or a semblance of it, at least.

She knew she had nothing to be proud about in her life, and so she had lost that – among other things.

"I'm required to." The man stated firmly.

Haruka kept her face downwards as she walked outside. The only time her eyes left the ground was in the brief moment she cast a look towards the soul reaper who was now acting as her escort.

"And I'm telling you not to bother. So don't bother." Haruka ordered.

She wasn't really in any position to give orders or expect them to be followed, so she wasn't sure why she did. Perhaps it was that thinking that led to the man's silence.

Haruka honestly wasn't too fond of silence. There was too much time for thoughts and ideas and remembering. It wasn't good, and it never had been. All her childhood, Haruka had been a friendly, excitable girl who never stopped talking. When recalling it now, Haruka realised she had no idea who she had been talking to during all that time, because it was the very same habit that led to her isolation.

"So," Haruka began, "what's changed in ten years? I see the Seireitei haven't changed their uniform; or those horrible shoes."

The grating from the shutting of her cell door was undesirably loud in such a confined space, causing Haruka to wince. Her expression was blank once more when the soul reaper turned, his face was clear of emotions.

"Walk in front of me." He ordered, ignoring Haruka's question.

The woman rolled her eyes and did as ordered. It wasn't worth protesting against his authority, not this time.

The corridor ahead began to converge on a centre point. Distance shortened the tall walls and narrowed the stone floor. It was eerie, and but for the dim lighting, appeared close to endless. Haruka wished she might resent the prospect of walking so far, but couldn't.

She knew where it led.

The last time she had walked these corridors had been a decade ago. She had been escorted by a group of five men and one woman, all of whom said nothing to her. The last time, each step took her further from her life.

Now this time, Haruka hoped it might take her back.

* * *

The underground assembly hall had suffered no change since Haruka's previous visit. This posed a slight problem for her, given that the very same soul reapers who had sentenced her were to be the ones judging her once more.

It was a little unfair and for Haruka, quite unlucky.

Their words were meaningless; opinions and facts – some incorrect and others, even more incorrect – were swapped amongst the 46 members gathered. Haruka had to bite her tongue to keep from speaking out of turn. They seemed to be going nowhere whilst Haruka really wanted to go _somewhere_.

"She is too dangerous." said one man, louder than the rest.

Haruka looked towards him, before realising it was pointless. Each of the Central 46 had a numbered plaque obscuring their face, and so she had no solid idea of just who was speaking. Instead, she brushed aside her hair.

Though Haruka had asked, she had been refused a hair tie, leaving the dark-blonde tangles to fall where they would. It was utterly annoying and despite Haruka thinking it so, she blamed no one for their unwillingness to offer her anything beyond contempt.

"Her actions – her crimes – obviously display her mental instability. We cannot allow her to walk free." continued the same person as before.

"We would not," began another, "allow that at all. Her movements would have to be restricted, and caution would be taken in where she goes, who she meets, and what she does."

"If we agree to this, we would risk innocent lives." argued a third.

The second speaker, who Haruka was wishing would continue, had already thought up a retort. "And it would be a waste of talent to leave Haruka Kimura imprisoned."

"Talent? Murder is not a talent."

Haruka smiled then, and struggled not to laugh. Did the soul reapers not exist for the purpose of killing Hollows; another being? Was not that murder?

"I would like to remind those present that Haruka Kimura was not always a murderer. She is the niece to Yoruichi Shihoin, previous Head of the Shihoin Clan. She was, and still is, the next in line to lead the Shihoin Clan should Rin Shihoin lose his title. In addition to her noble status, Haruka Kimura was among the most talented soul reapers of her generation. Prior to her imprisonment, she had dedicated approximately half a century of her life to the Soul Society, and was Fourth Seat to Squad Five. Captain Aizen had also expressed interest in promoting her to a Lieutenant."

Haruka was unsure how to feel about the titles and praise being spoken about her, which resulted in her ignoring it. It didn't matter anymore; she didn't even want to have to fight as a soul reaper, should she be released.

Haruka just wanted to be _out_.

The speaker stopped at the man behind the plaque marked '1' held up his hand. All murmurs died away, and even Haruka directed her attention to the mysterious figure.

When he spoke, his voice was a low rumble softened by age. "I think," he informed them, "that we should ask Haruka Kimura what _she_ wants."

From this, ensued a silence heavy with the weight of unspoken accusations.

Haruka was still looking aimlessly around, waiting for further words and objections, only to realise none came. They were waiting for her.

For her opinion. The Central 46 were actually giving _her_ a chance to speak.

Haruka scoured her mind for words, for her wit and the unrelenting backbone she had relied upon to get her through any situation in her life. But it wasn't there.

So she cleared her throat, and at last her voice echoed throughout the chamber.

"I will not deny my crimes. I murdered a soul reaper; and I wish to atone for it."

For once, Haruka spoke with honesty, and she spoke the absolute truth.

She was sick of the lies she had told, and tired of trying to escape the web she had helped create around her. If she were locked back up, Haruka knew that was less of a confrontation but rather a shield from her reality.

"There is no redemption for what you have done!" objected an unknown voice.

Although Haruka knew it was less of a risk to remain silent, she could not. This time, she was overwhelmed by an anger she had known little.

It was a strange, violent thing that started in her stomach, before racing up to her throat until she felt she might choke if she remained silent.

"_I know that!_" Haruka cried, before lowering her voice, "but can't I _try_?"

More input came from the direction of a row of people marked in the '20's. "I think, that if Haruka Kimura can think she has a chance at atonement, she cannot even fully acknowledge her crimes and personal sins."

Haruka opened her mouth, only to bite her tongue when realising it would be a breach of the Central 46's rules to speak without being addressed. And Haruka knew just how strictly they followed those damned rules.

"And excellent point." agreed '1'. "Haruka Kimura, can you tell us why you were imprisoned?"

"Oh, of course," Haruka agreed, a smug grin settling on her lips.

It was, obviously, an act. Haruka had great experience in the area of acting.

"Because I killed Ayame Kimura, my fellow soul reaper, and brother."

The resulting silence was both still and uncomfortably prolonged.

Haruka never wanted to speak again; for a split second she had even wished herself back in her prison cell. Then she remembered the things she had to do, and things she had to say.

"I only want-" Haruka began, out of turn.

"Do not speak." One of the Central 46 ordered.

Haruka continued regardless, raising her voice so as to be heard amongst the rising murmurs. "I only want a chance to apologise to everyone I've hurt."

No more words, or words for her ears, were spoken for a good few minutes after that. Haruka heard only the rustling of fabric, the whispers of critical strangers and the pounding of her own heart. She stood still, not knowing what eyes were pointed her way, and grew impassive in light of that understanding. Time passed unmeasured, as Haruka no longer cared about time.

She didn't really care about a lot of things.

"It has been decided, then." announced the soul reaper marked '1'.

Haruka again pushed back her hair, feigning disinterest in a matter that was far from disinteresting to her. Rather, she listened without showing her concern.

"Haruka Kimura," the man said, "should you be released, you would be placed under twenty four hour surveillance. Your activities would be limited, as well as your locations. You would have restricted contact with other soul reapers, and of course, would not be allowed to take up arms for any reason. All of these conditions would apply until your sentence of six hundred and twenty eight years – this total is including the ten years of your imprisonment – ends. Would you agree to this?"

Haruka rolled her shoulders, shrugging only for play. "Sounds fair to me." She conceded.

It really wasn't – in fact, it was almost as if Central 46 were being _lenient _with her – although Haruka wasn't one to argue with her own good fortune. That may have seemed selfish to some, yet she understood perfectly well that nothing could be accomplished by wasting away in a cell.

With what Haruka had to face, it was crueller to let her walk free.

As the woman was led away, another smile formed. For all the stairs, the corridors and dark halls she had to walk to escape, Haruka would do it. And there was a reason for that.

For that, at least, would lead her somewhere.

* * *

**Just to avoid confusion, this chapter is set in what I'll just call the 'present'. The chapters after this begin 78 years prior to this (something I'll mention at the beginning of each chapter) and will move on in time until we reach the 'present'. This chapter is also set 51 years prior to the events of 'Bleach', just to give you an idea of the timeline.**

**Review if you have questions and the like**


	2. Chapter 2

**A second chapter, as promised.**

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_Without - Chapter 2_

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- Seventy eight years ago -

She was born to a white world.

It was a world more pure than would ever be seen again, and never would such innocence be found except for in those brief childhood years. A world bathed in simple chill and pure white.

For not long did the snows of winter take a hold of the Soul Society, and so, to some, the day became all the more memorable because of their presence.

There was a certain feeling – excitement with in its confines – that filled Ayame as he thought of this. It left him bereft of care for the cold, and led him to ignore the frosty ground beneath his toes.

What did they matter?

Nothing, was what he thought. Nothing at all, because of this moment. The news still rung in his ears, and after months of waiting, it was surreal that it had actually happened; that life had been newly born in such a frozen time and solemn place.

Even so, even if he was unsure of what was fact or fiction, dream or reality, he knew at least one thing.

He knew from then on that he, Ayame Kimura, would not be alone any longer.

* * *

- Sixty seven years ago -

"Sixty two, sixty three, sixty four, sixty five-"

"Please, _stop_." Ayame interrupted, frustrated at the thought of such meaninglessness being continued.

Beside him walked a young girl, hair still pale-blonde with youth, whose lips soon formed a grumpy pout. "I didn't get up to one hundred." She whined.

Ayame flashed his sister an apologetic smile and bent down to ruffle her hair. Being four years older, he had always acted over-protectively to cover for the lack of their father's displays of affection.

"But we're in a public place now, and we have to uphold the Shihoin clan's reputation." Ayame explained gently, gesturing to the Seireitei street around them.

"But we're the Kimuras!" the girl objected cheerfully.

A frown passed over Ayame's face and he knelt so as to be at the same height as the eleven year old. "I'll try to explain this as best as I can, but you have to actually _listen_, Haruka."

Haruka nodded, quietened by her brother's solemnity.

"Good. Now, while mum may be a Shihoin, and even though she's the sister to the Head of our clan, Aunt Yoruichi, she took father's name, Kimura, when she married- _Haruka_!"

Ayame spun, muttering a mild curse to himself, before chasing after the blonde girl; who was surprisingly fast for her age. Her escape was made easier by the fact that she was still quite small, and easily slipped between the legs of the growing midday crowd.

"Haruka!" Ayame called in a vain attempt to stop his sister.

"Catch me if you can!" she called back, noticeable only due to her short stature.

"Please slow down!" urged her brother.

Haruka could only grin, intending to shout back a defiant 'no', only to find a rather different sound come from her mouth. "Hmpf!" she cried, voice muffled until she tumbled backwards.

With all her childish naiveté, the girl employed the use of her large, tear-filled eyes and peered upwards at her obstacle.

"Oh, hello." said the startled man, whom she had so unwittingly ran in to. "Are you hurt?"

Haruka shook her head; she was far too busy taking in the kenseiken slipped into his black hair and the warm, indigo eyes of the stranger to be bothered replying.

The man bent down to offer the sitting girl a hand up. "What's your name?"

At the question, Haruka – who had allowed herself to be pulled to two feet – let her pain fade and the giddy happiness return.

"Haruka Kimura." She answered, voice swelling with pride.

The stranger chuckled just as Ayame reached the pair. His chest heaved from running, whilst his green eyes were held wide in an incredulous stare.

"I'm so sorry, Lord Sojun. I hope you'll forgive Haruka-!" he began to babble.

Sojun Kuchiki held up one slender hand and interjected smoothly, "It's quite alright. Am I to assume you're Ayame?"

Ayame nodded meekly and Haruka laughed at his shy antics.

"It's nice to meet you both. Your aunt, Lady Yoruichi, speaks about you often." Sojun informed the siblings.

"So do I!" Haruka enthused. "I speak about us often as well; mostly because people ask, but...this means I have something else in common with Yoruichi! The only other thing is that we both love sushi."

Ayame sighed, despite also choosing to fit a smile amidst the weary expression. It was rare for someone to feel so close to Haruka, given her tendency to run elders and peers off their feet and annoy them to oblivion.

"She likes sushi? I'll I have to keep that in mind..." Sojun murmured to himself before seeming to be jolted from his reverie. "Ah! Byakuya," the man turned his smiling face towards the boy who had approached him from behind, "meet Ayame and Haruka of the Shihoin Clan. This is my son, Byakuya Kuchiki."

Haruka gave him a quick once-over, finding he was almost nothing short of a miniature copy of his father, Sojun. Ayame was eyeing her warily, wondering what sort of new, unintentional torture it was she was most decidedly devising.

It was safe to say, with his sister's history, that he was surprised when she offered only a mildly rude, "I reckon you'll be just like your father."

The boy glared, his thin eyebrows furrowing deep, whilst Haruka offered nothing more than a smile in response. Ayame could honestly say that he doubted Haruka's brain's presence in moments like those.

Given that the two siblings took many lessons on the intricacies of noble life, Haruka could not have been unaware that Sojun Kuchiki was not given the title of Head of the Kuchiki Clan, and must also have been aware of the man's sickness. Byakuya may have easily taken her words as an insult; in fact, Ayame was sure he had done just that.

Sojun only chuckled at the three children.

"Perhaps even better than me." He added.

"Of course." Byakuya agreed wholeheartedly.

Haruka hid her hands behind her back, stretching her fingers out, and leaned towards the boy. "Say, how old are you?" she asked into the lapse of conversation.

"I don't have to answer that." With his nose to the sky, Byakuya turned away.

"Lord Sojun, how old is your son?" Haruka asked with a painfully bright smile, turning to Byakuya's father for aid.

"He turned eight in January. A-"

"You're three years younger than me! That's so amazing Bya-kun!"

Byakuya scowled at this nickname, about to reply with some snide comment, only to have Ayame intervene. "I'm so sorry, Lord Sojun. Haruka didn't mean to be rude, she just cuts people off when she gets excited."

"It's fine, Ayame. Really." Sojun assured.

"Yeah, he doesn't mind." Haruka agreed flippantly.

Her eyes were still on the younger Kuchiki, the awe in her chocolate irises almost a tangible aura surrounding her. Ayame placed a warning hand on her shoulder, snapping her from the almost-trance and drastically decreasing the chance of her further insulting either of the nobles.

"And how old are you now, Ayame?" Sojun asked, sounding more alike to someone speaking out loud to himself.

"Ah..."

Ayame's mouth remained open as he tried to recall the one thing he never could; his age.

"Fifteen." Haruka supplied. "A few more years and Dad reckons he'll be good enough for the Academy."

Sojun nodded thoughtfully. "I'm sure that's true. It was my understanding that Yoruichi was personally training you both?"

"Yes, she is." Ayame confirmed.

"Maybe Byakuya could come along and watch? Yoruichi is, after all, the Flash Master. What do you say, Byakuya?" continued to the still-smiling lord.

"I don't really like the idea." Byakuya decided irritably.

"It'll be a lot of fun! Our next lesson is Wednesday next week, at three." Haruka interjected, disregarding Byakuya's own words.

"Haruka-!"

"I'm sure it will be a thoroughly enjoyable lesson." Sojun agreed cheerfully.

Haruka continued to smile, despite the black look being sent to her by Byakuya. She had always been a rather selfish child, and the opinions of other people did not tend to affect her actions.

"Haruka, I think we should go." Ayame murmured.

She nodded in agreement. "I can agree with that. We should go."

"Until we meet again. It was a pleasure." Sojun bowed his head respectfully.

"No it wasn't." Byakuya muttered under his breath.

Ayame was prepared to politely respond to this, yet Haruka jumped in before he could return the formal farewell.

"It was nice to meet you too Lord Sojun, even though Byakuya was with you."

Ayame could only sigh.

* * *

At Haruka's most recent count, there were but five days left.

She grew so excited at the thought of making a friend – something of a rare occasion – and of displaying to someone how hard she had been working to improve. The feeling was so powerful she was left near speechless.

All it seemed she could so was grin whilst bouncing on her heels, as she was now.

Yoruichi looked up the moment her cousin entered, raising a sceptical eyebrow. "Why are you so happy? Did you finally succeed in escaping from your brother?"

Haruka, still tilting her lips upwards into a wide smile, shook her head. "Ayame's here too. He's talking to her; _Soifon_."

"Ah. Now-"

"Aunt Yoruichi, I have something to tell you."

"Oh? And that would be…" she asked, a little surprised.

"Well," Haruka twisted her toes against the ground anxiously, "Byakuya Kuchiki is going to come to our next lesson. He doesn't know he wants to yet, but that's what's happening."

"And how do you know I'll agree to it?"

The blonde girl skipped forward, recovered from her unusual bout of timidity, before clasping her hands before her and arranging her features into an expression of utter innocence and hope. "_Please?_"

Yoruichi's smirk evolved to a short laugh as she leant down to ruffle Haruka's hair. "You only have to ask."

"Thanks Yoruichi!"

The woman in question tilted her head, suddenly very cat-like in her mannerisms. "Is that all you wanted? Why don't you and Ayame hang around a bit longer?"

"...why?" Haruka inquired, browns drawn.

"Something interesting might happen. Why don't you take a seat?" the plum-haired woman gestured to one of the red cushions beside her chair.

Haruka skipped forward, falling to her knees. "Well, okay then." The girl decided.

Intent upon abusing her position, she took the liberty of resting her arms across Yoruichi's chair, which just so happened to be colourfully patterned with green and crimson. Haruka's aunt had adopted a lounging pose, with one leg pulled towards her chest and the other outstretched before her. Haruka found she couldn't recall a time where Yoruichi had ever been stressed.

Soon enough Haruka's eyes were drawn elsewhere, heading towards the barrack's open doors, smiling as she noticed her brother approaching at last. She honestly couldn't see a single reason for her brother to hang out with the stick-in-the-mud that was Soifon.

Maybe it was love.

Haruka snorted derisively at the notion.

"Hey, Ayame." Yoruichi called out, upon his entering.

"Lady Yoruichi." Ayame bowed.

Both females began to laugh; a strange synchronisation that neither found uncomfortable.

"I told you," Yoruichi corrected, "it's Aunt Yoruichi, or just Yoruichi."

"But you're the head of the Shihoin clan; I think it's appropriate to show some respect to our elders." argued the boy.

Again, Yoruichi smirked. "Well, at least you listen to your father. But you should know Madoka only tells you that so you'll listen to _him_."

"It actually works though. The other day Dad made him hang up hammocks all around the garden." Haruka added, happily remembering the moment.

This was unlike Ayame, who pulled a face at his younger sister's reminder.

"I can imagine. I'm just glad he doesn't treat my sister like that." Yoruichi moved so that her cheek rested in her palm.

Ayame glowered a little, admitting, "He says it's how I'll learn to become the "man of the family"."

"And what a fine man you'll be. One day." Yoruichi foretold.

"Yeah, one day." echoed Haruka, her voice coloured with laughter smothered to avoid greater insult.

Ayame merely shook his head, accepting their teasing as an inevitable part of his life. It was much easier – albeit less amusing – than becoming riled up every time such an occasion occurred.

"So-ah!"

"Ah?" repeated a confused pair of siblings.

"Kisuke."

"Kisuke?" they again chorused, like a mimicry.

Ayame spun, Haruka's head shot up, and their eyes shot towards the man whom Yoruichi had addressed so warmly.

Kisuke Urahara was a tall, lean man, pale-blonde hair falling into place over his nose and framing the sides of his face in a scruffy cut. In addition, Haruka absently observed that he was rather handsome, in a strange, wimpy way.

Ayame had met him briefly before, as was sure to happen given he was Yoruichi's childhood friend and Third Seat. For Haruka, however, it was the first time she'd ever seen his face, hair, hand or any other part of the man's body.

"Captain." Kisuke said.

His gray eyes flickered to the Kimura children. A smile appeared.

"Kisuke, this is Haruka, Ayame's younger sister and my adorable niece. Haruka, this is Kisuke Urahara, my Third Seat."

_"Just _your Third Seat?" inquired a blatantly-hinting Haruka.

"Just." chuckled the man, quite timidly for one of his rank.

"Haruka." Ayame warned, fearing that she truly might have offended their elders.

Yoruichi's smile widened. "Oh, it's quite alright, Ayame. You must remember that your sister is still very young and her curiosity is normal and expected. As far as she knew, we could've have been more." Her teeth flashed in a playful grin at Kisuke.

"But you're...not." mumbled a disappointed Haruka. She had been so certain the spark had been there.

"No." Her aunt confirmed.

Haruka plonked herself back on the cushion, facing the front and looking down at her hands_. _"_Not yet_." She whispered determinedly.

"So, I came to report on the Nest of Maggots?" prompted Kisuke.

Yoruichi hummed. "Well, I did ask you to. How are they?"

"Good, good. However it might be better to talk about it...alone." replied the Third Seat.

"Yes," Yoruichi tilted her head in inclination, "of course."

At last, Haruka decided to speak up after her long silence. "What's a 'Nest of Maggots'?"

"It's-" began Haruka's aunt, only to have her nephew interrupt.

"Nothing you need to know about just yet."

"There's no need to coddle her." argued Yoruichi. "She could handle it."

_Handle what? _Haruka thought.

"Actually, Yoruichi," Kisuke smiled ruefully, running a nervous hand through his hair, "I'd probably give it a few more years."

The plum-haired woman leaned back and sighed. "Sure thing. Sorry, 'Ruka; maybe next time."

"It's okay," she shook her head, refusing Yoruichi's apology, "I'll just find out some other way."

Instead of protesting, Ayame felt it was more effective to sigh and hide his eyes behind his hand. Kisuke chuckled at the pair of siblings.

"You know, you kind of remind me of my own brother, Ayame." He admitted.

Alerted to the possibility of something new – and more importantly, something of possible interest – Haruka turned to Yoruichi. "He has a brother?" Haruka wondered.

The older woman looked down and nodded, her lips quirked in an upwards slant. "His name's Takeshi. Right Kisuke?"

"Yeah...he's the same age as your Haruka."

Haruka nodded with leisurely thoughtfulness. "_Interesting_..." she murmured.

"Extremely." added Yoruichi, who was very much aware of how wild Haruka's thoughts decidedly were, and was delighted by that fact.

"Anyway, did you tell her Haruka?" Ayame cut in.

He took a few steps closer, now almost adjacent his sister. She shot him a crooked grin and nod to confirm it.

"Of course I did." Haruka reaffirmed.

Now appeased in that aspect, Ayame turned to Yoruichi. "Good. Ah...I'm very sorry, Aunt Yoruichi, but mum said we had to be quick. She almost had tea ready when we left..."

"Right. You two should get going then." agreed the woman, who had spotted the message of farewell Ayame sought to imply.

"Well!" exclaimed Haruka, jumping to her feet in a matter of seconds, "let's not waste any time then; I'm _starving!_"

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "When are you not?" she said rhetorically.

"You're definitely related to Yoruichi." Ayame sighed. Although he said this more to himself than anyone else, for people tended to mishear him or ignore his voice completely, Kisuke noticed and smiled because of it.

Ayame, as he looked away, received a woeful nod of acknowledgment from Kisuke, a look caught only in the corner of his eye, before Ayame urged himself over to his sister.

"Come on." He told her. "Mum'll be upset if we let her cooking get cold."

Haruka's brows drew towards each other, her lips pursued as she thought and then said, "Yeah, she will."

Immediately, she grabbed her brother's arms and heaved herself upwards. It was a marvellous display of agility, given both her contorted position and how dramatically she stumbled not but a second later.

"So, uh, I guess I'll see you next lesson, aunt Yoruichi." Haruka bowed as she bade the older woman her goodbye.

Rather than waste words, Yoruichi nodded shortly. As the two children left, her attention was drawn to Kisuke. The man himself was rather distracted by the sibling's hasty exit. After all, not only was Haruka now dragging her brother towards the promise of food, but she was also turning back.

"I'd like to meet your brother one day." She called. "In fact, I _will_."

Haruka caught staccato snatches of Yoruichi's next sentence once outside, slowing so as to hear it.

"…worried, Kisuke…never known Haruka not to stick to her word…"

"Hey!" exclaimed the blonde-haired girl, twisting around to find it was her brother dragging her forwards.

"Don't you want tea?" he pointed out, soft voice coloured with a teasing laugh.

"Of course!"

"Then lets hurry- _up!_" Ayame yelped in surprise.

Haruka shot him a rougish look, glancing back over her shoulder as she now took the lead. Stumbling in effort to keep pace with his wilful sister, Ayame's frown deepened and a sigh escaped him. It was an expression that, moments later, morphed to a flickering smile.

Haruka turned, spotting the same thing as her brother, as her skip turned to a stomp.

Soifon raised a thin brow at the pair, carefully avoiding eye-contact with Haruka. It was as if she thought the girl a wild animal, and a single look could send her into an angry frenzy.

"Leaving already?" asked the woman.

Haruka, in light of Soifon's efforts to ignore her, pulled a face at the woman. She felt Ayame strengthen his resistance against her pull.

A wrong move on his part; Haruka was sick of waiting.

The young girl wasn't well known for her patience. Rather, it was for her impatience that she had won her infamy.

"Back off, Fishlips." snapped Haruka.

Like flicking a switch, Ayame became suddenly and fiercely defensive. "Haruka!"

"It's fine, Ayame. If the little girl wants to try to grow up, let her learn from her mistakes." Soifon shot back, snarky beneath her cool tone.

"Little girl? You're not talking about yourself are you? Because at least I act my age."

Gray eyes flashed like ice in the sun, boring into Haruka. The smaller only bristled at this.

"Want a list?" Haruka continued. "Foolish, jealous, petty-"

"_Haruka_, stop it right now!" hissed her brother, his expression growing more irate by the moment.

"And yet you're the one provoking me to fight." Soifon swiftly pointed out.

The black-haired woman rocked on her heels, a common, smug smile settling over her features.

"And you're the one whose gotta be careful. I'm not sure what _Aunt_ Yoruichi would do if her family was threatened."

_Well that shut her up_, decided Haruka, to herself.

Soifon and Haruka began to lean towards each other, coming to be so close they could hear the other's uneven breaths. However, there was one thing they had both forgotten.

Ayame.

"Both of you! You're _both_ children!"

The two scowled on cue, with Soifon turning from Haruka so as to retain her apathetic disposition.

Ayame, ever humble, bowed the older woman, saying, "I'm really sorry. We were just leaving. Goodbye, Soifon."

"Ayame." The stern woman replied curtly.

She turned only to watch as one of her – and it was only hesitantly that she admitted it – only friends flash stepped from the premises, sister hauled over his shoulder.

Soifon's musing of friends were so distracting that she didn't miss the last unflattering look sent her way by Haruka Kimura, another bane of her existence.

* * *

**Hope you liked it, please review!**

**Also, a quick note about the timeline: I'll only state how many years ago it was if the actually year differs to that of the section before it. All 'years prior' things are counting only the years from chapter 1, not the canonical 'Bleach' events.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ah, sorry for the wait and instead of listening/reading my various excuses, read and review!**

* * *

_Without - Chapter 3_

* * *

- Sixty seven years ago -

_"He lived in the province of Mutsu, in the district of Tamura-no-Go, and his name was Sonjo,"_ a woman began to speak, softly so as to preserve the wonder of the old story. "_He was a hunter and falconer, and as hunters were prone to do, he often went hunted. On one of these days however, he could find no game, and so turned homewards. But on his way-"_

"Mum." Haruka interrupted.

The woman's eyes shot her a glare, detesting rudeness above most things, and the interruption of her famous bedtime tales above all things.

Sai Kimura sat like a bird; perched on the edge of Haruka's bed as if preparing to take flight. Haruka knew that such posture was a result of her noble upbringing, where the importance of appearance was enforced regularly. She would have looked undisputedly regal, if not for the fact that she was wearing pyjamas.

"What is it?" Sai asked.

"Ayame wants to listen as well." Replied Haruka.

Sai swivelled in her seat, turning towards the door to spot her eldest child and only son peeking out from behind the wooden frame.

"Well get in here, silly." Sai ordered, smiling as she said this.

Ayame bit his lip, hesitating, and took a single step forward. Sai beckoned to him, moving over on Haruka's bed so he had a place to sit. "You're never too old for stories." Sai assured. "Especially if I'm the one telling them."

Ayame did then sit, his lips compressed into a thin line that Haruka was sure meant he was supressing a grin.

"Now," said Sai, who then took a deep breath and prepared to begin again, "_On his way home, Sonjo a pair of mandarin ducks, swimming together in a river at Akanuma. Despite knowing that it brought no good to kill mandarin ducks, Sonjo could not resist. He was starving, and so very quickly he drew his bow and arrow, and took aim."_

"Oh!" called a sudden, unexpected voice, "What's this? Another occult meeting without my very reputable self?"

"Do I really have to explain it again, Madoka?" Sai inquired, eyebrow poised.

"Not at all, dear. I remember what you said perfectly; '_please refrain from calling family interaction occult, as it could give the kids bad ideas', _and then I said, '_I am simply expanding their minds by making them aware of the different types of people out in the world'_."

From the doorway came a tall, broad-shouldered man, whose arms were held wide from the theatrical gestures he had made whilst speaking.

"Can you be quiet Dad? Mum's telling a story." commanded Haruka. "Well, trying to, at least."

"I _can_." replied Madoka Kimura, grin forever lopsided.

Although he had meant to imply he might not, Haruka took it as a yes regardless, and beamed, "Good! Now keep going Mum."

Madoka crossed his arms, harrumphing and grumbling about 'inconsiderate children' and an 'absence of love'. No one found this reaction to be anything new, and so Haruka and her brother turned to Sai expectantly.

"Now," she continued, turning to survey her family, "_no one_ is going to be interrupting me this time, am I clear?"

Ayame nodded, whislt Madoka and Haruka chose to keep it at a mere smile.

Sai nodded to herself, before resuming her story. "_So Sonjo shot at the ducks, and though he killed the male, he did not manage to peirce the female; she escaped into the rushes of the further short, disappearing. Sonjo was content however, and took the dead male home to eat. That night, however, Sonjo dreamed a very odd dream. In it, a beautiful woman-"_

"Not as beautiful as you though, my dear." Madoka interrupted so that he could cause his wife to blush. By now, he had pulled a chair around from Haruka's desk, sitting so he too could listen in Sai's fairy tale. His odd, salt-and-pepper hair fell in his face, an obvious difference between himself and the rest of the Kimura family. Sai had inherited the Shihoin clan's typical, blonde hair, with this characteristic being passed on to both her son and daughter.

"-_a beautiful woman entered his room, stood by his bed, and began to weep." _Sai murmured. "_As he listened, the woman began to speak to him, saying 'Why? Oh, why did you kill him? Of what wrong was he guilty?...at Akanuma we were so happy together- and you killed him! What harm did he ever do you? Do you even know what you have done? Oh, do you know what a cruel, wicked thing you have done? You have killed me to; for I will not live without my husband. I have only come to tell you this…' and she continued to sob, even as she spoke to words of a poem. _'At the coming of twilight I invited him to return to me'-"

Madoka gasped suddenly, exclaiming, "I think I know this story!"

"Shut up." Haruka and her mother hissed the words in strange synchronisation, after which they smiled pleasantly at each other.

"Anyway, the poem- 'Now to sleep alone in the shadow of the rushed of Akanuma, what misery unspeakable!' _And when she had finished, she exclaimed, 'Ah, you do not know- you cannot know what you have done. But tomorrow, when you are at Akanuma, you will see.' Still weeping piteously, the woman departed. When Sonjo woke in the morning, he could recall that dream so vividly it troubled him greatly. He remembered her words about Akanuma, and resolved to go there at once and learn the truth of his strange dream. When he arrived, coming to the same river-bank as yesterday evening, he spotted the female duck swimming alone. In that same moment, the bird saw Sonjo; and she did not fly away, but rather swam towards him."_

Ayame leant forward earnestly, awaiting the conclusion, and Madoka, noticing this, smirked. Haruka noticed, and rather than grow worried, became immensely happy that her father also delighted in annoying her brother.

"And her body tore in half, dying before the hunter's eyes, and Sonjo shaved his head and became a priest." Madoka promptly concluded.

There was a slightly extended silence, prolonged by Haruka holding her breath and the rest of her family waiting for her to say or do something completely absurd. A second later, and Haruka's laughter burst throughout the room, unable to contain it as she watched Ayame's face morph from shock, to disappointment, to complete and utter denial.

"Why do you always do this?!" shouted Ayame. "It was a _good story!_"

Sai turned to her son, and in a calm and matter-of-fact voice, told him, "But that is the way the story ends."

"Oh, really?" Ayame frowned, having not expected that.

Madoka nodded. "You think I would lie to _you_? My _only son_?"

The younger boy paused, looking down at his hands thoughtfully, before looking straight back up at his father. It really wasn't all that surprising that Ayame couldn't answer.

"You would." Haruka supplied, before silence consumed them all once more.

"I would." Madoka agreed.

"Well, even with Dad's additions…I liked it." Ayame told Sai; even if this were the truth, Ayame would still have been too polite to say otherwise, even if it meant lying.

"It was." Haruka agreed.

"Really." Madoka added.

Haruka's smile grew. She knew this game very well. "Truly."

"Very much."

"Absolutely."

"Undoubtedly."

"Positively."

"Unquestionably."

"Honestly."

"Without doubt."

"...ah-?"

"Ha!" Madoka cried, exuberant in his victory. "I win!"

"That's not fair, Dad! I'm not as old as you so I don't know as much." Haruka – though not self-admittedly – whined.

"And that's why I win. Every time." He stated proudly. "I'm older, wiser and cleverer than you'll ever be, my dear."

Sai shook her head, though whether in exasperated acceptance or disagreement, no one but herself would ever know. Madoka, however, chose to take it as a disagreement. "It's true." He asserted, utterly confident in himself.

"Of course it is." Sai agreed, but not without sarcasm.

Haruka decided such an answer was mostly due to her mother not being able to be bothered about summoning the energy to deal with the irrational Madoka and his inability to face the truth.

"Now," Sai stood, with Ayame following her example, "I think it's time you went to sleep."

"I'm not tired." Haruka argued.

"Not even after all the running around today?" Ayame said questioningly.

"Even after that." Haruka declared as she yawned widely.

Madoka, who really wasn't one to understand how to properly behave as a father, began to pull the sheets over Haruka in the most parentally fashion imaginable. He didn't tuck her in; that would only upset Haruka.

Sai and her son watched on with surprise, as the wry, elder man bent down and pressed a fleeting kiss to Haruka's hair.

What they didn't hear was what he said. "And since I win, I get to spend the whole day with your mother tomorrow."

It certainly wasn't the most fatherly thing one could say, yet it suited Haruka just fine.

* * *

Her foot bounced in the air, betraying her annoyance that rather impractically came from the fact she was even annoyed at anything in the first place.

"He's really rude." Haruka decided.

Ayame's head shot around, green eyes alight with curiosity. "Who?"

"Byakuya Kuchiki."

"Oh."

Haruka's foot continued to bounce; she really couldn't help it, and it wasn't long until her next outburst. "Aren't nobles meant to be _extremely_ organised and professional?"

"Not really." Yoruichi countered. "Most only care about themselves, not their punctuality. That aspect comes from their desire to preserve their reputation."

She sat cross-legged, dressed in her usual garb – the sleeveless, black Stealth Force uniform – as she waited for her newest pupil to arrive.

"Are you sure you want to wait, Haruka?" she asked, a half-amused smile sliding across her lips.

Haruka nodded, ignorant of how such devotion could seem to those around her. "Yep. His father agreed to it so I'm sure he'll come."

Feeling discontented, Haruka jumped from her stony seat and onto the grass of the Shihoin Mansion's garden. She began to pace, though this was more to wind up Ayame than anything else.

"Sojun Kuchiki?" Yoruichi asked.

"Yes." Ayame replied before his sister could even begin to.

"Hm…he's not the type to forgo commitments." decided the plum-haired woman.

"Which reminds me," Haruka started as her demeanour noticeably brightened, "you still like sushi, don't you?"

"Especially the fish part." Yoruichi confirmed.

"Good."

Haruka's aunt then turned to voice her wordless question at Ayame. For as unlikely as it was Haruka would explain anything sensibly, it was likely her brother _would_.

"Haruka informed Lord Kuchiki that you liked sushi. He said he'd keep it in mind for the next time you met." He summarised.

"A fine idea. Thanks, Haruka." Yoruichi called back to the youngest assembled.

Haruka looked from her toes to her aunt, then back to her toes. "For what?"

"Unintentionally providing me with more of my favourite food."

"You're welcome!" Haruka responded with the required answer, despite being confused as to the situation.

Yoruichi's lips lifted in a wry grin. Haruka didn't think she'd ever seen her aunt look clueless, or stupid. Because of it, Haruka had always naturally assumed Yoruichi knew everything about everyone; a fair enough assumption given her position in the hierarchy of the Seireitei.

Thus, she also didn't question it when Yoruichi announced with an immense lack of drama, "They're here."

Haruka's first instinct was to jump in the air, punching her first skyward. And so that was exactly what she did.

"Calm down, Haruka." Ayame cautioned.

"Why? Now we can finally get started!" she replied eagerly.

Yoruichi ignored their gentle bickering, rising to her feet to great the Kuchiki noble who stood so high within his clan. She wasn't usually one for etiquette, introductions or formality, but there were a few exceptions – those being the rare few people she liked and respected.

"Lady Yoruichi, it's good to see you again." came the voice of Sojun Kuchiki, who appeared from behind a door moments later.

"The same to you, Lord Kuchiki." she replied.

Haruka skipped forward, spotting the young Byakuya at his father's side and making a beeline for him. Their eyes met, and he stuck his tongue out at her. Childish, yes, but that was what they were at that time; children.

And as was the nature of children, they rarely cared about appearances or reputation; even things such as a gender, race and age became inconsequential. So Haruka thought nothing of it when she grabbed his arm, dragging him into the garden area and down to Ayame.

Her brother wore an empathetic expression, directed at Byakuya.

"You're gonna have so much fun." She enthused, crowding Byakuya as much as she could.

Byakuya, however, was not of the same mind and hoped he _wouldn't_ have fun. He only hoped to leave as soon as possible.

"Hey, Byakuya Kuchiki," Ayame interrupted, pulling Haruka backwards by her collar, "just ask if you want some help. And about Haruka…"

Ayame smiled ruefully.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

**The story is the Japanese folktale "Kwaidon", so it's not mine just so you know.**

**Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

_Without - Chapter 4_

* * *

- sixty seven years ago -

His head hurt, his arms ached, and his feet felt ready to bleed.

That, coupled with a short temper, made for a combination so inconceivably horrible that any and all reactions lay beyond imagination.

Even despite this, disregarding his aching body, Byakuya Kuchiki still found the strength to begin the march home.

As he did so, he continued to mutter, "…ever going back there again. They're crazy!" He scowled and began to blink back sudden tears, appearing only because of the rock he hit with his sore foot.

"Byakuya!" called a voice in the distant behind. "Wait for a moment! _Please_!"

Byakuya really had no intention for stopping to listen to Ayame Kimura's apologies, despite the elder boy having personally done nothing against him; unlike his sister. But when the blonde-haired boy flash stepped before him, Byakuya was left with no other choice but to pull short so as to avoid a collision.

"Look-" Ayame took a deep breath, no doubt stalling for time, "I know she can be a handful-"

"A _handful?_ She almost took my head off! And your aunt just _laughed_!" Byakuya was open-mouthed as to why Ayame was even willing to defend his sister. Hadn't Ayame suffered just as much as he?

"Well, they're like that…" Ayame ventured.

"-and she's the most selfish person I've ever met! I _hate_ her!" Byakuya continued, ignoring Ayame in his childish tirade.

Neither was sure if it was Haruka or Yoruichi the statement was directed at, although Ayame was quick to jump to either one's defence regardless.

"There's no need to be so rash! Aren't you a Kuchiki? Control yourself, and don't offend connections that could be favourable to your future political position." Ayame scolded, before allowing his breath to escape him in a defeated sigh.

Byakuya, stunned at the steel and anger that had so swiftly surfaced with Ayame, blinked twice before swallowing all future remarks. Perhaps Ayame wasn't a complete idiot after all.

"I'm…" Byakuya murmured, searching for the willingness to say the word.

"Sorry?" Ayame prompted.

Byakuya nodded his head, scowling, and kicked at the dirt path. "Yeah."

Just as suddenly as Ayame's anger had appeared, and just as great as Byakuya's surprise had been then, he found himself startled once more as the blonde-haired boy chuckled.

"It's fine. I understand that they can be…overwhelming. But next time, try not to run off." He cautioned.

Byakuya rolled his eyes. "I'm not going again." He pointed out bluntly, and knew that this decision was absolute.

"I figured." Ayame muttered. "But seeing as how you shouldn't be out here alone, I'll walk home with you."

Shooting the older boy a glare, Byakuya harrumphed at the notion. "I'm not a child!"

Instead of attempting to argue about the matter – as Haruka would have – Ayame merely shrugged and turned away, beginning to walk towards the Kuchiki residence.

Byakuya, after a moment's pause, had to run to catch up; something he found annoying, and yet refrained from commenting on. Instead, Byakuya elected to learn more about this boy, and how he could be so opposite to his relatives.

"Ayame, ah, how do you manage to live with…_that_?" Byakuya inquired, breaking the silence.

Ayame's lips were tugged in a brief smile. "Well, because I have to, and because they're my family. Don't you feel the same loyalty?"

Byakuya shook his head. "I don't have any brothers or sisters." He admitted.

"Do you want any?"

"I…don't know. Besides, I wouldn't know what to do if I even had any."

Ayame's eyes adopted a curious light that lasted for just a moment, before the elder boy then proposed a simple, ridiculous idea. "Then how about I act as your brother?"

Byakuya then decided that Ayame might just be Kimura. "Why?" he asked, because he meant it.

Ayame shrugged lightly. "Why not? You wanted to know how I can live with my sister, and this is how I can answer it. It's not that easy to put into words, you know."

"Well," Byakuya looked towards the ground, "maybe."

It was an interesting idea, and Byakuya – who would not ever admit this to anyone, struggling to even acknowledge it himself – had always wondered about sibling bonds. He'd seen brothers who fought with each other, who absolutely hated each other, yet the next day they'd protect each other from anything and everything.

He couldn't comprehend just how it was that someone could rely on another do readily.

"Good enough." Ayame decided, before allowing silence to fall over the world.

Silence was another concept that flummoxed Byakuya. He never understood how one place could be empty of sound, and how it could be so tense and awkward, even when another place was, simultaneously, so loud one felt they would become deaf.

Had he asked Ayame, the other boy would have explained how it was simply because Byakuya thought the whole world revolved around him, and how he considered himself to be the only one who existed complexly. Of course, Byakuya did _not_ ask this, and so remained oblivious to the answer until he realised it on his own many years later.

"I hope you're not too sore." Ayame at last said, apologetic.

Byakuya remembered his past annoyance – an annoyance so strong it might as well have been anger – and snapped back, "Well, I am."

"Sorry." Ayame apologised once more, although it was this time accompanied by a chuckle.

Byakuya wondered how morally right it was to hold Ayame responsible, and despite realising it wasn't at all logical, could only continue to do so. The difference was that this time Byakuya held his tongue for fear of another anger-fuelled lecture.

"So which way?" Ayame asked, after another period of awkward silence.

The two had come to a crossroad in the street, and Ayame was left to rely on his younger companion in an area unfamiliar to him.

"Left." Byakuya stated, as he turned left.

"Left it is." Ayame reiterated.

* * *

Haruka was alone, and though this was typically be an alarming notion, it was not so; for she had been the one to run away.

Upon further reflection, Haruka had to decide it wasn't really running away; she _had_ left a note for her father at home. Perhaps a rather obscurely placed note, but it was there and that was what mattered to her.

Even had she had any doubts, Haruka would have only continued to continue skipping through District One.

Among the many different areas of Rukongai, District One was certainly the cleanest, nicest and assuredly the safest of all three hundred and twenty. It was filled with many people of a respectable nature, and shops of good reputations. Haruka's reason for her unorthodox visit was the later.

In two weeks to the day, it would be her mother's birthday, and so it Haruka decided that it was now the right time to go searching for a present to commemorate the occasion. Typically, it was with both her brother and mother that she completed the task, but for today she was alone. Madoka was preoccupied by his work as a seated soul reaper, and the ever-faithful Ayame had been forced away by his pre-training training for the Soul Reaper Academy.

Haruka was just beginning to enter her fourth minute of glowering over her loneliness when a particular voice slipped through her thoughts.

"Hey, leave it alone!"

Haruka wasn't entirely sure why she should pick those words out of the sea of murmurs around her – words that were both unfamiliar and meaningless.

"Why should I?" retorted another.

Haruka whipped her head around, searching for an owner to the voice that piqued her interest. There was a fire in the second speaker's voice, and like a moth to flame, Haruka was drawn to it.

"You have no money! You're just a poor little kid!"

"I am not! And you're a kid as well, you idiot!"

"Idiot? You're the one who wandered into the wrong district!"

"_Did not._"

Haruka's face was all smiles now, all joy, and moments later, she spotted the two. Both were boys, both kids of her age or about. One stood at the doorway to a fine bakery, the other was filthily clothed and on the ground.

Even as she watched, the later stood up and attempted to brush himself off.

"Whatever. Just leave." dismissed the first.

The boy on the ground soothed back his hair – a dark brown reminiscent of muddy raven feathers – and Haruka was sure he adjusted a pair of glasses.

"Well, I _will!_" said this same kid, and it was as though he had won the argument.

There were a number of ways she could present herself at the present time, albeit not one seemed to quite fight Haruka's many requirements. She didn't want to just _meet_ this boy; she wanted to learn from him.

After all, if she couldn't, then there was no point at all in his, or her own, existence.

The boy from the bakery smirked, and in his pride at apparent victory, shouted out a concluding, "_Good!_"

The other boy merely walked on, and spared not even a single glance back. Haruka wondered if it were a matter of pride, or if it were cowardice that influenced such an action.

Momentarily forgetting the task at hand, Haruka began to creep after the boy. His hair, though an attempt had been made to soothe it flat, curled around his ears and neck. Haruka could also see that he was thin, although he didn't look unhealthy, and that coupled with grubby, green kimono certainly gave the impression of someone from a poorer district.

She did her best to keep quiet, putting into to use her training with Yoruichi. Haruka's eyes searched for shadows, for a path through the crowd. Honestly, she couldn't even begin to fathom why it was that so many people needed to be in the one place, when there was other work they must surely be able to do.

It wasn't long before the press of people began to lesson, and Haruka and her target moved into District Two. In West Rukongai, the area wasn't too different to District One, but for the fact it was smaller and mainly consisted of domestic housing facilities.

Minutes began to tick by, and as Haruka drew nearer still, she began to catch some of the boy's mumblings.

"Stupid brat…it's not my…" and then, "it was those other kids' fault…"

Haruka grinned, and by now, she was moving into the alleyways of the street to remain hidden. During the time it took them to reach District Thirty Seven, the young Kimura girl had almost been spotted several times. She also, in the hour it took, began to realise stalking boys was probably not normal behaviour.

But, and she comforted herself with this knowledge, she _was_ very bored. And lonely; not that that was a concept new to Haruka.

After years of perseverance through those issues, they had begun to intensify to the point where Haruka was actually starting to become rather sick of herself. It was an odd and unsettling feeling.

It, however, was with such thoughts that Haruka found herself shouting, "Hey!"

The boy wheeled around, his blue eyes betraying his fright. "Wha-?"

But Haruka had taken control, bounding forward and leaning close. "Do you want to be friends?"

"No." he answered swiftly, scowling at her.

"Oh…" Haruka mumbled, a little disappointed. Maybe she just had to try harder.

Taking a few skips to reach the boy again, Haruka easily fell in step with him. "What's your name?" she asked.

"It's none of your business." He shot back.

"Well, hello again, 'It's None Of Your Business'. I saw you earlier." Haruka informed him.

Again, the boy turned with accusatory confusion. "What- _wait_. You _were_ following me!" he cried.

Haruka nodded brightly. "Yep." She said, oblivious to his anger.

"That's creepy! Stay away from me!"

It was a fair request, one Haruka would have done well to obey, if only her nature had not been so unorthodox.

"Hey, wait up!" she cried. "I can help you!"

"Go away!" insisted the other child.

"But-!" Haruka tried again.

She caught up quickly, and when positioned in front of him, placed her hands upwards to halt his flight.

"I thought you might want some money." Haruka cried, her haste slurring the words together.

The boy's fierce gaze caught Haruka's, and for a brief moment, the world was suspended and she felt herself cringe a little. Never before had she met someone with such an unwelcoming glare.

For that reason, it wasn't all together surprising when the blonde girl said, "I like you."

"_What part of go away don't you get?!"_

"Well I was only trying to help you! If you didn't have enough money to buy some food I have heaps to spare, and then you wouldn't have to wander around starving because you could use the money to buy food-!"

"I don't need your help." He cut it, voice dull and definite like reality often was.

"I think you need my money!" Haruka persisted, her eyes wide with dubious concern.

She wasn't entirely sure about why she was so insisted upon the matter. Usually, she might have given up and just taken to insulting the boy. All Haruka could do to reason with herself was to think that it was the excuse for her earlier bizarre stalking, and repeat it like a mantra.

"Damnit! _Why are you so annoying?"_ shouted the other.

Giving up words, for the boy clearly wasn't listening, Haruka shoved her hand inside her fine, silk kimono, and from within its violet folds, drew a leather purse.

Her act, and the haste that slowed to an almost theatrically sluggish pace, caused the boy to pause. In a typical, cold manner, the boy raised one thin brow.

Haruka smiled as she held it forward.

"Seriously." She pressed.

"Whatever." The other sighed, at last relenting. "Look, idiot, I don't need your money. I'm not poor."

"Really?"

"Ye-"

And it was unfortunate for Haruka that her breakthrough was then thwarted by something entirely out of her hands. Which, from another's point of view, could have been extremely fortunate for her new 'friend'.

"_Oi!"_ came a voice, strong and domineering. "_You have money, ya say?"_

Both children turn towards the speaker, and discovered – much to their own displeasure – three boys flocking around a single, large and loud-mouthed boy. He would have been in his later teens like Ayame was, and so at first, Haruka remained unimpressed.

"Yep!" she declared with a jaunty grin. "What of it?"

Beside her, the dark-haired boy slapped his hand against his forehead. Even he knew that the situation had escalated into something deadly, full of potent maliciousness.

Instead of answered, the beefy leader just looked towards Haruka's unfortunate companion. "You there- scat."

Haruka could see the boy considering this when he glanced backwards, until his eyes also caught hers. To run would be to leave her alone, at the gang's mercy. His lower jaw began to jut out a little as his teeth ground against each other.

"Why should he?" asked Haruka, confidence now instilled for the fact the dark-haired boy remained by her side.

"Wouldn't want a little shrimp like him to get hurt now, would we?" a gangly kid to the side shrugged.

Haruka frowned, and without thought, said, "Then shouldn't you leave as well? I mean if you're getting rid of the shrimpy people here…"

"_Shut up._" The boy beside Haruka hissed quickly. "Don't make them angry."

The gang's steady approach resulted in them hearing the warning. The leader chose to answer, "Oh, seems like you're a smart little shrimp. Now little girl, listen to-!"

"Did you," and Haruka had taken a step forward, which was both unusual and intimidating, "just call me a _little girl?"_

"Yeah; so what?" the leader teased, smirk almost hidden by the greasy length of his brown hair.

"So _what?_ Take a second look, because guess what, buddy-!" Haruka was really becoming fired up now, "-_I'm not!"_

"A little girl? Well then, what do you guys think?" the leader turned to his fellow bullies.

All four sneered down at Haruka, and older though they were, they didn't notice her tucking her purse away. They didn't notice her hands.

"Little girl! Little girl!" they chanted, horribly and hypocritically childish.

Haruka thought through her plan for a moment longer, and a moment was long enough for her to choose to disregard forward-thinking. After all, she had never worried about it before.

"Okay then," she announced, "even I am a little a girl, at least I can still do this- _hado number one; sho_!"

A burst of brilliant, white light shot from her finger, a short pulse that hit all four of the bullies. They fell, all at once, and Haruka was certain she no longer seemed as weak as before.

"Run!" she cried, fearing revenge.

Haruka turned, and gave no heed to the boys on the ground or to the one running beside her. Just as she began sprinting, she found herself laughing. Soon enough, the black-haired, bespectacled stranger was joining in.

"That was _amazing!"_ he enthused with a strained voice.

Haruka caught snippets of the sentence, and pieced together his words. She grinned, which was all she could do, given it was taking all her concentration not to trip from her aching sides.

"This way!" the boy cried, and turned a corner with nothing but those words as a warning.

Haruka followed, shrieking as she thought for a moment that she might crash into the wall. It was a short street, coming to stop just before a green hill that Haruka thought must have marked the end of the village.

Up ahead, the boy slowed to stop at the base of the hill, his toes not even close to brushing the grass. It was because of this sudden stop that Haruka cried out in alarm, before falling backwards.

"Ow…" she muttered, holding her nose.

"Wha- oh, sorry." The boy muttered, realising it had been he she crashed into.

As he offered her a hand up, Haruka beamed with satisfaction. She knew she had been right about him being nice.

The two looked at each other for a moment, before casting their eyes downwards. Neither knew what to say now, and Haruka's mind was still in turmoil from her previous actions. She hadn't even needed the incantation; Yoruichi was sure to be proud.

"T-thanks…" the boy at last muttered.

He shuffled from foot to foot, twisting it into the dirt as the awkwardness of the situation continued to pursue them.

"It's fine." Haruka assured, managing to grin broadly as she spoke.

"Yeah."

"You're not meant to agree."

"But you said it was fine!"

"Well maybe I was lying! Maybe I didn't want to have to kick some butt!"

"You shouldn't be lying in the first place!"

"I'm not! And what about you? You lied about your name!"

"I never told you my name!"

"Well," Haruka crossed her arms, "what is it then?"

Parallel to her, the boy began to glare at her. Haruka wondered why it was he was so opposed to revealing his name. She really didn't see why it would be so hard.

"Fine." The boy relented at long last. "But you can't tell my brother I was in Rukongai again-"

Haruka frowned, and a silence ensued. She ignored the companion's confused expression and continued to ponder her own, minor dilemma – it felt like she'd forgotten to do something.

"Sure, just tell me what it is." she asked, glancing up from the ground and pushing her own worries aside for the time being.

He took a deep breath and readjusted his glasses. "Takeshi Urahara."

* * *

**So Takeshi Urahara is an interesting character (or he will be). Hopefully you'll get most (if not all) of his story in the following chapters.**

**I also didn't realise that this chapter had already been finished so it was sitting around for a few weeks, not uploaded...oops.**


	5. Chapter 5

_Without - Chapter 5_

* * *

- Sixty five years ago -

In a world full of accidental occurrences, coincidences of which some were not so coincidental, there were many things of inexplicable natures that should be handled with the utmost delicacy. Situations such as those were definitely not expected to be handled by Haruka, even though she would attempt it regardless.

Aside from her infamous inability to handle things tactfully, Haruka was also known for another inability; her lack of stealth.

Earlier that morning, Haruka had decided upon a venture that required both of those things – stealth and delicacy – and so she had spent a good five minutes praying to the gods of the Human World, all of whom she had not the slightest bit of faith in. Afterwards, she had set off on her 'adventure' that led her to her current whereabouts; the poverty-riddled districts of Rukongai.

Haruka jumped from rooftop to rooftop, snaking her way in and out of shaded alleys with surprising dexterity for one of her age, although she was turning fourteen that August and had a few years of Yoruichi's teachings behind her.

All that, her musings and her journey, came to a stop with incredible suddenness. It wasn't really surprising why; Haruka had been growing bored, and so decided to risk coming closer to the person she was currently following. This, combined with her stupid decision to balance on the edge of loosely tiled roof, was what led to her consequential fall.

The air that had so quickly left her lungs returned when Haruka landed awkwardly, face-down on an oddly soft surface.

"Ow…" Haruka mumbled, not yet moving.

It was something the woman beneath her seemed to greatly disagree with, expressing this by hissing, "_Get off me._"

"Yeah." Haruka assured, rolling onto the ground beside them both with an exaggerated sigh and long intake of breath.

The moment she had complied with the woman's wished, Haruka found herself pinned down by an entanglement of legs and restraining hands. Haruka huffed, annoyed at the unfairness of the situation. The woman was far older, and though Haruka was loath to admit it, _stronger_, and thus the advantage went to her.

"Why are you here?" she barked from overhead.

Haruka looked past the black hair, up into gray eyes, and smiled mockingly.

"Why are _you_ here, Soifon?" Haruka retorted.

The older woman's eyes narrowed, and yet the use of her name seemed to calm Soifon enough to sit upwards. She didn't help Haruka up; the animosity between them remained ever so painfully the same.

Soifon's eyes skittered past Haruka, peering down the alley they had landed in and out into the sunlit street of West Rukongai. Haruka whipped around, and spotted what Soifon had; a tall, blonde-haired man kneeling in the dirt. He smiled cheekily, and his hands moved in a strange gesture towards the child opposite him. Haruka was not the least bit surprised to find him there.

"This is a serious issue." Soifon muttered, although she was unable to look at Haruka with the same conviction with which she spoke.

"Clearly." Haruka pointed out sardonically, "because Kisuke Urahara playing a game with kids is completely out of line."

"Oh, shut up." Soifon snapped. "It's not like you can talk; _you_ were following _me_."

"Um, _excuse me?_" Haruka's eyes widened with fake indignation, and her hand was placed theatrically over her heart. "I would do no-!"

Soifon rolled her eyes and shoved the girl aside with the cool-voiced reply being, "You're excused."

Haruka snorted loudly, and opened her mouth to protest against such treatment. "Tha-!"

She hit a wall, her voice suddenly and swiftly muffled, leaving Haruka, for a moment, stunned and breathless. Soifon had reacted faster than expected, causing Haruka to concede that maybe she didn't give the woman the credit she was due.

"Meanie." Haruka mumbled.

"Idiot." stated Soifon.

Haruka rolled her eyes, despite knowing well what she had been about to do and admitting that Soifon did have a right to prevent the ruin of her plans at the hands of Haruka.

"So why can't Kisuke know we're here?" she asked with expected curiosity.

Soifon relaxed just enough for Haruka to move freely once more, although the elder elected to ignore Haruka for favour of peering out at Kisuke.

"Why?" Haruka persisted. "Why not? Why, Soifon? Is it something bad?"

"Because." That was, of course, an explanation only Soifon would deem satisfactory, and think that it was enough to put the issue behind them.

Haruka, however, was of an entirely different mind, demonstrated by how, moments later, she was bounding around Soifon, causing her loose curls to tangle with each other.

"Is Aunt Yoruichi testing him? Is that it? Because he'd make a great Lieutenant, or Captain. I can't wait to see Kisuke as a Captain!"

"Would you keep it down, brat!" hissed the Stealth Force soul reaper.

Haruka tugged on Soifon's hand, causing it to slip from its resting place on the wall. The dark-haired woman fell down with a dull thud that echoed painfully. Again.

Haruka, for all her cleverness, stood still and silent, waiting watchfully for the moment she might have to run if she wanted to keep her life.

"…Oops." She whispered, fearful yet not honestly apologetic.

Even without a visible expression, Haruka could read Soifon's anger with ease. It was in her posture, her tense shoulders, and the cracking of her knuckles. Her hair had been mussed up, and the dark aura Haruka felt she radiated spoke a great deal about the pain Soifon wished to inflict upon the younger of the two.

Her anger was infinite.

Haruka twiddled her thumbs, fidgeting on the spot. "_…Sorry_." She whispered, though it sounded more alike to a plea.

"Are you?" Soifon began. "Are you _really_ _sorry?"_

Haruka's head bounced in a quick succession of nods, and she squealed, "Yesyesyes!"

Soifon eyed Haruka, and though her brows furrowed and her upper lip curled back in distaste, the woman responded with a mere snort and Haruka knew Soifon wouldn't act upon her apparent anger.

"So?" Haruka asked, after a time. "Are we going to keep following Kisuke? He's getting away."

Soifon eyed Haruka curiously, although the look was not one of general curiosity but rather suspicion. "I don't like that you exist."

Haruka then realised something; a truth she had never thought to realise at her age of innocence. No retort, to witty comment to wound Soifon as equally deep ever came, and Haruka managed only to smile.

What she knew was this; Haruka smiled because she could, and in that moment Haruka realised that for a large portion of the time she spent happily, and for all the times she acted unreasonably, irritatingly or in some sort of sporadic manner, it was never for herself. It benefited her, of course –what action did not benefit one's self in at least some small way? – yet her behaviour and undertaken action never existed to make herselfhappy. It was everyone else, and for those who were sad, or angry, or hateful, and it was to change them.

And then came Haruka's awareness of the strangest thing. She didn't at all mind this.

"Haruka," Soifon called, "If you follow me, you won't tell Lady Yoruichi or I'll rip off your fingers."

"Ha!" Haruka had only blink once, comprehend those words, before she returned to her usual self, with an insult ready upon her lips. "Like you'd have the strength to do that!"

With Soifon on a rooftop above, it wasn't all that difficult to impose an intimidating figure. "Oh? You're willing to challenge me, little girl?"

"_I'm not a little girl!"_

"You are."

"Are not!"

"Are."

"Aren't."

"Are."

"Aren't."

Haruka bent her knees, focused her spiritual energy and used the power of flash stepping to jump from ground to rooftop, confronting Soifon with disregard for skill, power and height differences.

"At least I'm not stupid enough to let Kisuke get out of sight." She remarked smugly.

Soifon spun around, alarmed, and then backtracked to once again face Haruka.

The girl smirked, her eyes alight with unruly mischief, and she sung in a mocking voice, "Ha ha, made you look!"

In truth, Kisuke was still very much within sight and Soifon had acted instinctively in response to Haruka's statement to discover this. Haruka found herself, once again, the object of Soifon's anger.

"You little brat." She spat.

"At least I'm not as gullible as you." Haruka said with feigned offhandedness.

Soifon ignored Haruka, suddenly deciding that was a much better tactic that the aggression previously provoked from her, before then directing her eyes towards the blonde-haired man in the streets. He had moved on from the children, and now walked down the length of the street as if in search of something.

Haruka noticed the intentness with which Soifon looked down at Kisuke, and the furrowed brows. Something seemed off about the woman. She was being far too forgiving.

Haruka quickly deduced and hypothesised solutions as to why. It couldn't be-

"Soifon?" Haruka asked, her voice the pinnacle of a naivety she no longer possessed, "Are you in love with someone?"

"No." said Soifon, although the answer was so curt Haruka decided that it only displayed her conflicting feelings.

"You are!" exclaimed the girl. "I knew it! You're in love!"

"No, I'm _not_." Soifon objected.

The woman spun around, vehemence affixed in both her steely eyes the upper lip drawing back in a scowl. Haruka would only continue to persist at this ruffled display, and it was both to annoy Soifon and to distract the woman from her task; following Kisuke Urahara in an attempt to rat him out for various suspicious activities.

Haruka's involvement arose from two very different factors. Firstly – and primarily – she still did, and always would, find it highly amusing to frustrate Soifon to the point where the soul reaper began to border upon murderous.

And secondly, she was beginning to like Kisuke Urahara.

* * *

Lunchtime was one of the most dreaded times of day in the Urahara household, alongside breakfast and dinner.

If one were to look as to why, they would find the answer quite complicated. But then, as Takeshi had found, if one looked deeply enough into any kind of problem, they could easily find a way to complicate it beyond comprehensibility.

But for Takeshi, whose dread arose from his conflicting emotions, mealtimes always seemed a terrible and complicated ordeal, no matter how little thought he put into it. It seemed reasonable to him, because, among the Urahara's, mealtime also meant family time.

There were multiple reasons as to why he should fear such a thing; and number one on the list happened to be that family time didn't exactly include all the family. It was just himself and Kisuke; alone.

"So, how was your day?" Kisuke asked, breaking the impenetrable silence. He was prone to destroying the impossible, ever seeking more.

The blonde man set down their food on the table, before sitting opposite Takeshi. The boy almost squeaked at being drawn from his thoughts so suddenly, refraining only because he didn't feel like presenting Kisuke with his weaknesses.

His surprise also led him to reply with, "Eventful."

It was usually expected to receive a '_good'_ or '_boring'_ as an answer; not this time, however.

Takeshi had even startled himself with such an atypical answer, although rather than blame the cause of his answer – which was himself – he elected to direct his resentment towards Haruka. After all, it was her energetic demeanour that had caused his day to go awry.

"Really?" asked Kisuke, before chuckling softly. "Were you with Haruka again?"

Takeshi nodded. "Yeah," he said softly, before recovering his belligerent-like manner, "I just don't understand her."

Kisuke nodded understandingly, and swallowed the food in his mouth. "I don't either, but I think that's her charm."

"Of course you do." Takeshi snorted at his brother. "I'm not even sure why I hang out with her."

"I think she's nice." Kisuke offered, albeit timidly.

"She's impulsive, stupid, and doesn't care about invading my life or personal space." Takeshi objected, matter-of-factly.

Kisuke opened his mouth to reply, only to have an unusual voice speak in place of his own.

"She has her reasons."

Both the Urahara brothers turned towards the door that led outside, and noticed, primarily, that the door was open, and then just why it was. Poised against the wall, sunlight framing her desirable figure, stood Yoruichi.

"Don't mind if I drop in, do you?" she asked, a smirk tugging on her lips.

Kisuke was the first to recover, saying, "Not at all, Yoruichi. Come in and join us."

Despite his scowl, Takeshi had nothing against Yoruichi, and found her to be a respectable and clever woman. He had grown up in the mansion with Kisuke and Yoruichi both, and thought that he had her figured out; well, as much as one could. The Shihoin's were a difficult family to understand.

Then again, so was his own family. Kept hidden, a scandal that the Urahara's refrained from speaking, was that though Takeshi carried the Urahara name, and despite being labelled as Kisuke's brother, it was not, strictly speaking, true. Takeshi was well aware that he had no right to be called an Urahara – and consented to this only because he knew nothing of his true father – and though a brother of a sort he might be to Kisuke, it was through their mother only.

When she had died, leaving behind two fatherless sons, Yoruichi's father had allowed them to stay in the Shihoin mansion, under the grace that the boy's mother had been a distant relation of his.

"So what brings you here, Yoruichi?" Kisuke asked.

Yoruichi settled down between the two brothers, holding her silence as she looked at them both calmly. Takeshi was certain she prolonged speech only to obtain some sort of dramatic effect.

"I thought it would be nice to visit my friends," She explained before adding, "and I heard you talking about Haruka."

Kisuke chuckled and dragged a hand through his hair, mussing it up even further. "Yeah." He admitted.

Yoruichi turned to Takeshi, her golden eyes glinting with unnameable emotion. "And I here thought that you'd become close with my dear niece." She sighed, referencing his earlier complaints.

"Well…sort of." Takeshi decided, unsure how to answer the question satisfactorily when he, himself, was not entirely sure about the unlikely friendship – if one could call it that – that existed between Haruka and him.

Yoruichi leant backwards, arching her body as though she truly were a cat, and allowed silence to settle over the room once more.

"Yoruichi," Kisuke's voice shattered the budding tension, "you said she had her reasons."

"What reasons?" asked the woman.

Takeshi rolled his eyes. For as much as he wanted to hit Yoruichi, he knew that would only end in pain for him. "Her reasons to be so annoying." the boy supplied.

"Ah yes, that."

Takeshi took another bite of his food, swallowed, and then repeated the actions as he waited. Kisuke's own expression was contorted between amusement and frustration. He had had many years to learn patience, unlike his younger brother.

"_So_?" Takeshi at last asked, temper reaching extremes.

Yoruichi opened her eyes, and looked at neither of those present, and instead towards the wall opposite her. "Would you consider Haruka your friend?"

Takeshi spluttered. "Would I- I- I don't-"

A second later, the black-haired boy froze under the icy glare of one so terrible he wouldn't even think of daring cross her. Yoruichi leaned closer to him, and he did his best to remain unfazed by her intensity; it wasn't enough.

"Yes." Takeshi at last sighed, relenting.

"Well, that's a first." Yoruichi declared, her tone a jovial polar opposite to the aura her glare had portrayed.

The plum-haired woman relaxed her muscles and kept her eyes towards her lap. Her odd behaviour coupled with her words put both the Uraharas on edge.

"First what?" Kisuke inquired.

Yoruichi looked as if she had taken a deep breath, before plunging into her explanation. "Not many people would say that. In fact, I doubt Haruka considers you a friend. She's not used to them."

Takeshi couldn't help but interrupt. "Why?"

"Think about it, Takeshi. She is a Shihoin, among other things, and you know how hard it is for nobles to make friends. Those in Rukongai ignore her, and find her arrogant- which she is, but that's beside the point. It's her reputation, and her personality, that stop her." Yoruichi pointed out. "She's never been out there to make long-lasting friendships, either. She has her brother, Ayame, and that always seems to be enough for both of them."

Takeshi nodded, understanding the reliance those two siblings had on another; although it might have been more accurate to say he understood that it existed, as he couldn't see how such a relationship would work.

Yoruichi frowned as she spoke. "She doesn't understand how to connect with those her age, which is why she acts the way she does. The problem is that her thoughts are far too mature for those her age – like you, in that respect – and Haruka is too comfortable with herself to attempt to change for other people. She's selfish, and expects them to change for her."

"Well, I think that explains a few things." Kisuke murmured, reflecting back to his past interactions with Haruka.

Takeshi was still unsatisfied, and seeing that Yoruichi had so readily revealed that much about her niece, he decided to see if there was more to learn. Which, of course, there was.

"So what? She doesn't have friends?" he asked.

The Shihoin woman stood, and brushed herself off. Two sets of eyes, one set gray, the other blue, trailed after her.

"I've noticed she seems close with Shinji, and perhaps Hiyori. But other than them and Ayame, no."

_So she's alone_, Takeshi thought, before letting out a short laugh that sounded strange when coming from him.

"What is it?" asked Kisuke.

"It's," Takeshi paused for breath, "It's just that…Haruka's a lot like me."

Takeshi's smile remained, and when he looked towards his brother, noticed it being reflected back at him. Yoruichi had gone just as quickly as she had come, leaving as Takeshi had begun to laugh, and so the brothers were alone together once more.

But, for the first time, neither felt lonely.

* * *

**So, really sorry about the wait and I hope people are still reading this. After this chapter, I wouldn't be surprised if you stop - I had a writers block and no inspiration to write anything and so here it is. A really bad chapter.**

**I hope you enjoyed it.**


	6. Chapter 6

_Without - Chapter 6_

* * *

- 64 years ago -

"You walk slower than a slug!" said Haruka, shouting the insult back to a disgruntled Takeshi, who wanted nothing more than to ignore her. Had it been a year ago, he most definitely would have.

"Hurry up!" she urged.

Takeshi sighed, readjusting his glasses before they slipped sideways again. Ever since he and Haruka and landed themselves in another scuffle with a few kids from the poorer section of Rukongai, he found it not only more difficult to keep his glasses unbroken, but also harder to escape her presence. He'd discovered why this was so long after he finally embraced her company, and Takeshi did suppose that her willingness to explain was at least one benefit of his friendship with Haruka.

What she had said had been simple; '_I'm your protector.'_

It was not without meaning that she said this, although Haruka being who she was, had then gone to ruin the moment by adding, '_because you're obviously not very good at protecting yourself.'_

Takeshi had been rightfully insulted and simultaneously awed at her. This awe, however, was not without restraint, as the Urahara boy also knew that Haruka was primarily friends with him to ease her own boredom.

Takeshi was pulled from his thoughts when his body jerked forward in a sudden – and violent – attack courtesy of Haruka. She'd become irritated enough with him that she was now dragging Takeshi along to their destination.

"Haruka, where are we going?" Takeshi demanded for perhaps the fifth time that day.

And for the fifth time that day, Haruka answered with a cryptic and uncomforting, "You'll see."

Given that they stood outside Squad Five's barracks, Takeshi hadn't really needed to ask _where_, but rather, _who_. And even without such an inquiry, he had formulated a few ideas of his own.

Takeshi sighed once more. Giving up was not something he usually did, yet he decided that Haruka could be the one and only exception to that rule of his. It did leave him helpless against the wilfulness of Haruka, and with nothing more to do than to attempt to keep up with her as Haruka led him further into the maze of Squad Five's barracks.

"This way!" Haruka ordered, as she turned the way she had just indicated she would.

Takeshi felt as though his arm might tear off at Haruka's following tug, and was genuinely surprised that it, in fact, did _not_.

"Haruka, if we are going to see who I think we are-"

"Don't be stupid," Haruka interrupted her friend, dismissively, "he won't be bothered by it at all."

"We shouldn't even _be_ here!" argued Takeshi. "The barracks are off-limits to everyone who isn't a soul reaper! Which, may I point out, we _aren't_."

Haruka spoke in a voice louder than what Takeshi wished she had, causing him to cringe as she shouted in reply, "That's the fun of it all!"

"He has his duties as a Captain!" Takeshi objected.

It hardly mattered, and his efforts became pointless as they had reached their inevitable destination. Takeshi had been trying to avoid it for quite a few days now, yet there they were. He could only swallow, and hope that his anxiety went along with it.

"_Shinjiii._"

Once more Takeshi was ruthlessly yanked along after Haruka. He tumbled into the office after her, almost failing to remain standing. He really, really, didn't want to be here; anywhere but in Squad Five's Captain, Shinji Hirako's, office.

A disgruntled man glanced up from the desk he had not so inconspicuously been asleep on. "Haru? What're ya doing here?"

Haru – Haruka, as Takeshi knew her – pouted and let out a low whine. "I told you not to call me that, Shinji!" she cried.

Shinji Hirako only responded by waving his hand at her, then yawning broadly. It gave Takeshi a moment to note a few more things about the man; something other than the ridiculously long hair and unfashionable fringe of the man's.

The problem, Takeshi thought, was that there wasn't much else to note. Shinji Hirako was most remarkable in that he didn't appear as eccentric as expected. The reputation of the Gotei 13's Captains seemed much distorted compared to their reality.

Of course his open mouth did display the top row of his teeth with peculiar ease, and his eyes were half lidded – though it could have been the lingering touch of drowsiness – yet that was all. Perhaps Takeshi had always expected Haruka to be platonically attracted to someone who was a tad bit _much-ier._

"Sorry, Haru." Shinji apologised despite not appearing apologetic.

Haruka huffed loudly and crossed her arms. "It sounds like a boy's name."

Shinji blinked in mock surprise, saying, "Ya mean to say you're _not_ a boy? Then why's that one-" the Captain gestured to Takeshi, "-with ya? Haven't been kidnapping people again, have ya?"

"Yes she has, actually." Takeshi cut, his words as chilling as was his glare, which was turned with full force towards Haruka.

Shinji grinned, teeth flashing, but Haruka quickly diverted attention to herself by saying, "Oh, yes – well no, actually – but anyway; Shinji, this is Takeshi Urahara. Takeshi, this is Shinji Hirako."

"Sorry to interrupt your…work." Takeshi added, amending Haruka's rudeness out of habit.

Shinji grinned slyly. "Yeah, work." He agreed without hesitation.

"So can I help with this work?" Haruka interjected.

"Can you fake my signature?" Shinji replied.

Haruka considered this for a moment, her hand on her chin for effect, before nodding. "You give me something to copy off and I can."

Shinji managed to grunt out an agreeable sound before he snatched a paper and pen up from his desk. Takeshi watched on, slightly baffled and understandingly overwhelmed, as the Captain scribbled something down.

Haruka took a hold of his arm and whispered by his hear, "Sit down." Takeshi sat.

Not that he had yet found the will, but to ensure he couldn't leave, Haruka kept her grip on his arm for a while afterwards.

"Hey, kid, wanna help Haru?" Shinji asked.

Although Takeshi was startled to be addressed to casually, his typical nature was quick to react. "No." he said. "Not at all; it's your work, and you should be the one to finish it."

Shinji glanced at Takeshi, taking him in with intense scrutiny, whilst Haruka chose to ignore the interaction as she collected a stack of paperwork from Shinji's desk.

"Where's the fun in that?" Shinji asked playfully.

Takeshi knew the question was meant to be rhetorical and chose to answer regardless. "If you don't finish it you'll be in trouble, and that's no fun." He argued.

"Nah," Shinji dismissed, smirking once more, "that's part of it all. Besides, I get punished regardless of the work I do, so it's not like it changes much."

Takeshi raised his eyebrow. "How come?"

"Hiyori likes to beat him up." Haruka explained distractedly, now occupied by the paperwork Shinji had placed in her care.

Shinji chuckled and brushed his mussed hair back into order. "Yeah, that brat tries to every time she sees me."

Haruka scoffed, investing herself in the conversation once more. "_Tries?_ She doesn't even have to do that."

Shinji shot Haruka a mild glare. "Maybe I let her." He argued.

"Maybe you don't." retorted the girl.

Takeshi sighed, resigning himself to listening to another bickering involving Haruka. It wasn't too uncommon, given her somewhat abrasive nature, although he had noticed that certain people elicited a softer side from Haruka.

"_Takeshiii_!" whined the blonde girl, rolling over the floor so that her head bumped against his knee.

He pushed her away quickly. "What?"

"Help me."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I can't draw."

Takeshi bit his tongue to keep from insulting her; something he knew would only end in tears. "So?" he asked dispassionately.

Haruka sat up and reached over the floor, sending paper scattering as she snatched up a single sheet. "You don't understand!" she cried, thrusting the paper before his eyes. "_Look!_"

Takeshi took one glance at the scribbled mess of something entirely unrecognisable, before bursting out into laughter.

"Stop it!" Haruka insisted, although she could hardly be heard over the uncontrollable hysterics.

Takeshi attempted to apologise, but he made the fatal mistake of peeking at the drawing Haruka still held. Another fit of giggles welled up within him, shaking his body with such force that he fell to the ground.

"_That-"_ Takeshi gasped, "_Is terrible-!"_

"It can't be that bad." Shinji assured Haruka, coming around the table to take a look.

Once he two saw Haruka's attempt at art, laughter quickly overcame Shinji as well. Haruka let out a loud wail, and was ignored in light of the spasms of laughter engulfing the others. Takeshi attempted to breathe; only each breath was never enough to calm him. Shinji was attempting the same action, and was even trying to count down from ten, though his numbers sounded more like strange sobbing rather than a word.

"Shut up!" Haruka insisted. "It's not that funny!"

Takeshi whipped tears from his eyes and replied, "Yes it is."

Shinji nodded in agreement, before straightening his back at a failing attempt to appear dignified. "You're the worst drawer I've ever seen." He added, not providing any consolation. "In fact-"

Takeshi and Haruka did find out was it was Shinji was going to say, as it was at that precise moment someone knocked on his door. Takeshi's first thought was that the visitor possessed far better manners that Haruka.

"Come in." Shinji sighed, obviously not appreciating the interruption.

The door slid open, revealing a male soul reaper dressed in standard uniform. "Captain Hirako," he huffed as though he had been running, "I have orders to inform you of some bad news."

Shinji waited for the man to continue, and when he did not, asked, "Well? What is it?"

"As you know, Lieutenant Sojun Kuchiki was sent out to patrol the Soul Society given the recent rise in Hollow activity."

Takeshi noticed an unusual frown appear on Haruka's face.

The soul reaper swallowed hard. "Whilst there, he encountered a large number of Hollows," the man announced, "and he didn't make it back. Sojun Kuchiki is dead."

* * *

"What do you think?" asked Sai, spinning around to face her daughter.

Though the day was hot, and market crowd was only making it hotter, the cool wind remained a blessing to all. Haruka especially, as she couldn't have stood the press of bodies otherwise. Now, she turned from that sight and towards Sai. Her mother stood before a jewellery stand, head tilted to display the necklace that had recently caught her eye.

"It's very pink." Haruka commented, indicating to the large stone hanging off it.

Sai frowned. "What's wrong with pink?"

"Nothing." replied Haruka. "But it's _very_ pink. I can handle pink in moderation, but that's quite a lot of it."

Sighing, Sai began to unclasp the necklace. "Well I thought it might have looked nice with that kimono of mine."

"Which one?" asked Haruka. Typically, she never had much interest in accessories, but her mother had brought her along for her particular advice. Haruka intended to give it to her.

"The one with the cherry blossoms on the bottom; it's mainly blue, except for the flowers." Sai explained.

Haruka pictured the clothing, and then tried to imagine the necklace along with it. "I still think the stone is too big." Haruka at last decided.

"Really?" Sai pouted, before turning to the stallkeeper, "Well, thank you anyway."

"My pleasure! See you around!" he called, as the two walked away.

Haruka grabbed her mother's hand to ensure they weren't swept apart in the crowd. In her few years of experience, she knew it was likely to happen very easily. Then, given Haruka's impulsive nature, the girl would become distracted by something trivial and it could end up being days before she finally made it home. Haruka would rather not have Sai go on another rampage whilst searching for her.

"We should have brought Ayame." Sai pointed out, but Haruka shook her head in denial.

"No way!" the blonde girl cried. "He'd just tell you to buy everything, and say that it all looks good on you."

Sai laughed at this, only to stop when Haruka tugged on her hand. "What?" the older woman asked.

Haruka smiled widely, pointing through the crowd. Sai followed her daughter's direction, taking only moments to spot what she had. There, weaving his way through the crowd, was the one and only Byakuya Kuchiki. Sai noticed the absence of a guardian, before her spirits dampened as she also recalled why it was he required guardians instead of parents.

It had been only a few months since the news came.

"Can I go with him?" Haruka asked excitedly, on her tiptoes so she was closer to Sai's ear.

The woman frowned in deliberation, and noticing the hesitation, Haruka continued, "I'm older than Byakuya, and he's allowed out on his own."

"It's different-"

"You want me to make friends, don't you?" argued Haruka.

She saw the slope of her mother's shoulders, watched them fall forward, and knew that she had won again. Haruka was finding it easier and easier to manipulate people into acting in accordance with her whims.

"Be home before sundown-!" Sai ordered.

Haruka interrupted by jumping up and pulling the woman into a short hug. "Thank you! I will!" she cried, before racing away.

As Haruka shoved her way through the crowd, she began to stick her elbows further out. It was a trick her father had taught her, and since no one wanted to be jabbed in the side, it created a larger space for Haruka to manoeuvre herself within. It took a few minutes, but at last Haruka reached the end of the market. She had almost lost Byakuya on the way, and would have if she hadn't have hypothesised his destination.

He was a few metres ahead of her, and so Haruka called out to him.

"Byakuya!" she cried.

He paused, turned backwards, and then turned away when he recognised the face of his pursuer. Haruka ignored his snub and used the seconds to catch up to him.

"Hi." She said, walking sideways so that she faced him with her whole body.

Without hesitation, Byakuya replied, "What do you want?"

"Oh, lots of things." She replied, "But at the moment, just to talk to you would be enough."

Byakuya scowled, and continued walking in silence. It was clear he thought that by pretending Haruka didn't exist beside him in that moment, that she might go away. Haruka considered it her pleasure to prove him wrong.

"How come you don't have any escort with you?" she asked, sidestepping to keep up with the young boy.

He didn't respond, and so Haruka presumed, "You ditched them, didn't you? I've never found any of the Shihoin guards to be that hard to escape from either. Or my brother. You like Ayame, don't you?"

Again, Byakuya kept his silence.

"Fine." Haruka huffed, crossing her arms angrily. She continued to walk with Byakuya, amusing him by muttering insults under her breath. When that elicited no response, Haruka asked, "Where are you going?"

Byakuya turned to her, his expression oddly blank. "To visit my father," he answered stonily, "Now leave me alone."

Haruka pretended to consider this, although her thoughts lay in quiet companionship with Byakuya and the dark place his world had become.

"Sorry," Haruka blurted out, although she wasn't sure why, "I can't do that."

"Why not? All you have to do is turn around." Byakuya pointed out.

Haruka shrugged lightly. "Not everything is as easy as it seems." She retorted, quoting her own father.

"Leaving is. Why can't you leave?" he argued.

Haruka felt a little sick in the stomach, queer with the feeling that 'leaving' had become synonymous with the word 'dying'.

"Because I don't want to." replied Haruka.

She wished it could be as simple as that, but it wasn't. This wasn't a matter of her doing something because it was what she wanted to do. It was far larger, encompassing more than just Haruka. For once in her life she was considerate of someone other than herself. She blamed Byakuya Kuchiki for it.

"I think- maybe-" Haruka fumbled for the right words, attempting to convey her thoughts comprehensibly, "I'd just like to see you smile."

* * *

**Finished at last. I'm hoping the chapters get better from here on out. I'm also beginning to rethink the whole 'child to adult' thing, because it might be boring my lovely readers. So who knows; maybe a massive time skip is coming up.**

**Please review. **


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